David Mazzucchelli has criticised DC Comics' latest Batman: Year One reprint.

The artist has attacked the new hardcover, which he says is of poor quality.

"DC just sent me this book last week, and I really hope people don't buy it," Mazzucchelli told The Comics Journal.

"I didn't even know they were making it, and I don't understand why they thought it was necessary - several years ago, DC asked me if I'd help put together a deluxe edition of Batman: Year One, and [editor] Dale Crain and I worked for months to try to make a definitive version. Now whoever's in charge has thrown all that work in the garbage."

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He criticised the decision to redesign the cover, the use of shiny paper and the reprinting from corrupted digital file, "completely obscuring all of Lewis Richmond's hand-painted work".

Mazzucchelli said that DC has repeatedly ignored his attempts to get in touch concerning the book.

"Anybody who's already paid for this should send it back to DC and demand a refund," he added.

Mazzucchelli's legendary collaboration with Frank Miller was published in 1987.